BaTiO3powder has been synthesized by heat treating (BaTi) citrate polyester resins at 500 °C for 8 h. X-ray powder diffractometry (XRD) and Raman spectroscopy data suggest the presence of a high-temperature hexagonal phase at room temperature. However, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy indicates that the peaks that were ascribed to the above phase in the Raman and XRD spectra may originate from stacking faults in the particles. Our results disprove the existence of the high-temperature hexagonalBaTiO3at room temperature.©1997 American Institute of Physics.